The Finest American Denim

Whitney Alexandra

It’s time to take your love of denim to the next level! This season, have some fun with denim and mix in more than just a pair of denim pants. Try incorporating a denim jumper, overalls or even a skirt. Zace USA offers a great style variety alongside sustainably produced mill-finish RAW denim.

I met with the owner and designer of Zace USA, Zachery Myers, to discover more about this Ohio-based fashionably sustainable brand and must have denim line. In this issue, I am handing the reins over to Zachery to share his story and fashion expertise!

IH: What inspired you to create Zace USA?

ZM: My love for America and fashion. I believe that things can be done in a way that creates a sustainable industry while creating premium clothing for socially and fashion conscious people around the world. I’m very proud that for the past 13 years my team and I have been sewing here in rural Ohio outside of Columbus.

IH: Have you always been into fashion?

ZM: I remember hiding in bolts of fabric as a young child while my mother and grandmother would fabric shop. Back in the 80’s, we made braided bracelets, tie-dyed shirts, bleached jeans and spent our days and nights riding skateboards. I recall sneaking into my parents bathroom to smell my stepfather’s green bottle of Polo cologne while admiring the logo at the age of 8. I started sewing snowboard mittens at the age of 17, and I’ve been creating one thing or another since.

IH: Where do you draw inspiration for your designs?

ZM: The Zace USA women’s collections are drawn from my love for the soil. Usually when I’m covered in dirt and grease from fixing a tractor or planting a field, I have my clearest thoughts for design. Timeless, sexy yet functional and durable pieces that don’t have an expiration date on them in terms of trends is always the goal.

IH: What does living a sustainable life mean to you?

ZM: It is a balance of several factors including water, food, clothes and family. Clean water is the most valuable resource in the world, and it doesn’t make sense for Zace USA to chemically alter our clothing and waste such a precious resource. It’s this core value that we hope will affect the industry and ultimately change water for the better in other countries whose communities and health have been affected by the major producers of denim and textiles.

Growing our food to include fruits and vegetables while preserving them is vital to achieve optimal health and ensure its source is well defined.

The clothing we wear reflects a very powerful decision. I personally would rather wear one pair of jeans each year knowing the cotton was grown and sewn in America where labor standards are high and lives and natural resources haven’t been destroyed in the process.

Family is everything and is the pillar to a sustainable life. My two sons, Denim and Diesel, sure make all the sacrifices worthwhile for me in knowing the hard work I put into growing and sewing will ultimately leave them a life that they too can hand down one day. Leaving a soft footprint on this earth is all of our responsibilities.